Louise Freer Hall , also known as the Women's Gymnasium , is a historic building on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign . Built in 1930, it was the last of the university's buildings designed by Charles A. Platt , who was responsible for the university's overall plan. Like most of Platt's designs for the university, the building has a Georgian Revival plan. The gymnasium originally provided expanded facilities for the women's physical education department, which had outgrown its space in the Woman's Building. The new gymnasium's facilities included two general-purpose spaces, several specialized facilities, and a physical education laboratory. Louise Freer, the women's physical education director for whom the building was later renamed, added a lounge area in 1932 to provide a social space in the building. The building is still used as a gymnasium and hosts intramural sporting events and physical education classes.
57-783: Freer Hall has served as the home venue for the Illinois Fighting Illini women's swimming and diving team. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 5, 2003. This article about a property in Champaign County, Illinois on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Illinois Fighting Illini women%27s swimming and diving The Illinois Fighting Illini ( / ɪ ˈ l aɪ n aɪ / ) are
114-602: A Commission on Native Imagery to recommend ways "to provide closure, healing and reconciliation... to facilitate the establishment of new traditions... [and] to honor and partner with the Native Nations for whom Illinois is their ancestral home." The Fighting Illini are one of three Big Ten programs that do not have a mascot. (The other two are the Wolverines and the Hoosiers .) In the 2020 student elections,
171-499: A January 29, 1911, newspaper article describing the basketball team's effort during a game versus Purdue. By March 3, 1911, the athletic teams appeared to have earned the Fighting Illini nickname as a formal appellation evidenced in a newspaper report. In 2005, evidence suggested Fighting Illini was first used in 1921 as part of a fundraising campaign for construction of Memorial Stadium , but articles discovered in 2013 show it
228-543: A campus urban legend. Oddly enough, the same myth exists for the University of Michigan Stadium built a few years later, but no evidence has been found to support the rumor. The bell of the USS Illinois (BB-65) , an Iowa-class battleship that was never completed, is on loan to the university and is in use. It is traditionally rung when the Fighting Illini score a touchdown or goal during home games. The stadium
285-454: A certain gift materializes and it moves a project from No. 3 to No. 1. That happens all the time." The following year, Whitman disclosed that renovations were being completed incrementally, with $ 8 million spent over the past three years. Renovations included new flooring, repainting, and updating bathroom facilities, among other improvements. Whitman also stated that he was targeting a renovation package between $ 25-30 million that would upgrade
342-580: A collection of University Band recordings and performances and recording sessions from 1940 to 1987. The band has several traditions such as the Pregame Show, Three-In-One, Illinois Loyalty and Oskee Wow-Wow . Illinois Loyalty is the main school song of the university. It was first performed on March 3, 1906, and is one of the oldest songs of its kind in the United States. The song was written by Thacher Howland Guild, instructor in rhetoric and
399-535: A member of the band's solo cornet section. Due to the song's length, it is normally played only at the beginning, halftime, and end of football games. Oskee Wow-Wow is the official fight song of the University of Illinois. Most commonly, it is played "from the hold" at the start of the chorus, when the "O" in "Oskee Wow-Wow" is held out. This version is played after first downs and touchdowns in football , and leading into time outs in basketball . Coincidentally,
456-547: A number of Olympic athletes that include George Kerr , Don Laz , Daniel Kinsey , Harold Osborn , Bob Richards , and Justin Spring , From 1926 to 2007, Chief Illiniwek was the symbol for the Fighting Illini. Chief Illiniwek was a Native American symbol portrayed by a white student. Chief Illiniwek symbolized the Illini , a confederation of indigenous tribes who historically had inhabited much of present-day Illinois; however
513-524: A number of notable alumni and administrators in the world of athletics. In football, notable Alumni include Dick Butkus , Red Grange , Jeff George , Simeon Rice , Ray Nitschke and George Halas . Famous basketball alumni include Dee Brown , Deron Williams , Luther Head , Derek Harper , Nick Anderson , Chuck Carney , Brian Cook , Kendall Gill , Steve Bardo , Jerry Colangelo , and Johnny Orr . Notable athletes in baseball include Lou Boudreau , Hoot Evers and Ken Holtzman . The university has also
570-465: A row (2002–09); advancing to three NCAA Final Fours between 2003 and 2007; and winning the 2003 NCAA National Championship . They have also won two ITA National Team Indoor Championships (2003, 2004) and lost in the championship match three other times (1998, 1999, 2002). Illinois men's tennis owns the record for longest consecutive win streak in NCAA history at 64 matches, spanning from their first match of
627-461: Is a memorial to the university's students who died in World War I ; their names are engraved on the nearly 200 pillars surrounding the stadium's façade. With a capacity of 60,670, the stadium is primarily used as the home of the university's Fighting Illini football team . In the early 1920s, the old football stadium, Illinois Field , was deemed inadequate. There was some sentiment for retaining
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#1732783765552684-401: Is a move to sell the seats currently occupied by the student section at a higher price to the general public. The planners assert that they are trying to make the field noise louder and cater to the student's needs by giving them separate concessions and amenities. The renovated stadium was rededicated at the 2008 season home opener against Eastern Illinois University on September 6, 2008. For
741-513: Is dedicated to the men of the University of Illinois that gave their lives serving in World War I . In 2002, the stadium dedication was extended to those who died in World War II . There are a total of 200 columns on the east and west sides of the stadium. 183 columns display one name of a University of Illinois alum that lost their lives in the first war (182 men and 1 woman). The stadium was officially dedicated on October 18, 1924, on which
798-1065: Is second most all-time only to Penn State Nittany Lions 12 team titles. Additionally, the Fighting Illini have won an all-time record 53 individual NCAA titles. The Illini hold their competitions at George Huff Hall on the Champaign side of campus, and the team trains and holds practices at the Kenney Gym on the Urbana side of campus. The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team began play in 1974. The team won three Big Ten Championships in 1990, 1991 and 1992. The Fighting Illini women's soccer team began play in 1997. The team won two Big Ten Championships in 2003 and 2011. They have made twelve NCAA Tournaments appearances in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The team has four sweet sixteen appearances in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2013 and one elite eight appearance in 2004. The Illini are currently led by Janet Rayfield, who has been
855-724: The ARC . On Clinton Lake, they host the Illinois Collegiate Rowing Invitational where they race against many other midwestern universities. They compete across the country in the American Collegiate Rowing Association . The Marching Illini is the marching band of the university. The Marching Illini is an organization which annually includes approximately 350 students. Part of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and
912-770: The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), winning national championships in 2005 and 2008, with runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2018. A second team competes in the Division II Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association . A feasibility study published in March 2018, and commissioned by the NHL , NHLPA , and College Hockey, Inc., found a high probability of success for the hockey program to transition to NCAA Division I . Founded in 1963,
969-558: The Atkins Tennis Center for men's and women's tennis , Eichelberger Field for softball , Huff Hall for men's and women's gymnastics , women's volleyball and men's wrestling , Demirjian Park for women's soccer and for men's and women's outdoor track and field , the Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois for men's and women's golf , the University of Illinois Arboretum for cross country and
1026-507: The Illinois Fighting Illini football 's historical accomplishments, the athletic department also installed new lettering along the outside of the luxury suites and press box. The lettering lists National Championships , Big Ten Championships , Retired Numbers , and also reads Welcome to Memorial Stadium Home of the Fighting Illini . On June 25, 2022, Athletic Director Josh Whitman stated during his annual Media Roundtable Press Conference that he plans to further renovate Memorial Stadium in
1083-500: The Kenney Gym in 1990, the Illinois Volleyball team has remained in the top 10 in the nation for average home attendance. In 2013, the program broke its previous home attendance record, averaging 3,117 per match. Kenney Gym served as the initial home court from 1974 through the 1989 season. Since the founding of the volleyball program in 1974, the Fighting Illini have had 30+ winning seasons. The current head coach of
1140-605: The University of Illinois Armory for men's and women's indoor track and field . The Fighting Illini lay claim to over 25 National Championships dating back to 1900. The University of Illinois official team name is the Fighting Illini. The Illiniwek, Illinois Confederation, or Illini, were made up of 12 to 13 tribes who lived in the Mississippi River Valley. The term "Illini", in relation to campus activities, appears to be first mentioned in January 1874, when
1197-538: The intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign . The university offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports. The university operates a number of athletic facilities, including Memorial Stadium for football , the State Farm Center for both men's and women's basketball , Illinois Field for baseball , the ARC Pool for women's swimming and diving ,
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#17327837655521254-587: The 1910s especially during the 1914, 1915, and 1916 football seasons. The Daily Illini and football programs prior to these dates do not extensively cite the term and also used the terms "Indians", "our men", "Orange and Blue", and the "homecomers". The Illinois Confederation , also referred to as the Illiniwek or Illini, lived in the Mississippi River Valley and expanded their tribes in an area that stretched from Lake Michigan to Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas. The term Fighting Illini first appeared in
1311-462: The 1951 co-national title selection by William F. Boand , but as recently as 2006 this was not mentioned officially by the school. The team also has 15 Big Ten Championship Football victories with 8 Bowl Game Victories at the 1947 Rose Bowl , 1952 Rose Bowl , 1964 Rose Bowl , 1990 Florida Citrus Bowl , 1994 Liberty Bowl , 1999 MicronPC.com Bowl , 2010 Texas Bowl , and 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl . The men's golf team play their home matches on
1368-438: The 2002–03 season and ending with a 4–2 defeat by UCLA in the semifinals of the 2004 NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament. The Fighting Illini women's tennis team began play in 1975. The women's tennis team has made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018 and 2019. The men's Indoor Track and Field team has a total of 20 Big Ten Champion titles. For outdoor track and field
1425-453: The 2020–21 NCAA athletic season. Fighting Illini baseball has 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, 33 Big Ten championships and 4 Big Ten Tournament championships in 1989, 1990, 2000 and 2011. Fighting Illini men's basketball titles include the 1915 Helms national championship, five NCAA Final Four appearances in 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, 2005, 17 Big Ten championships and four Big Ten Tournament championships in 2003, 2005, 2021, and 2024. Through
1482-472: The Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois five miles from the university's campus, and are currently led by head coach Mike Small . The Fighting Illini men's golf program has won 18 Big Ten championships and in 2013 finished as national runner-up at the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships , which was the highest finish in the program's history. 2014 was the third time in the past four years
1539-557: The Big Ten Champions in 1921, 1947 and 1984. The Fighting Illini women's cross country team began play in 1977. Illinois won an individual NCAA championship in 2009. The University of Illinois has been selected for national championship titles for their accomplishments in five seasons (1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951) by NCAA-designated major selectors, often using mathematical algorithms. Illinois claims championships for all five years. The Fighting Illini program recognizes
1596-519: The Chief was one of 18 mascots (though Illiniwek was considered a symbol and not a mascot) cited as "hostile or abusive" by the NCAA in a policy that banned schools from full participation in postseason activities as long as they continued to use such mascots. The University of Illinois retired Chief Illiniwek in 2007. Debate about the Chief has continued to this day. The university chancellor appointed
1653-494: The Illinois Renaissance program which was completed in 2008. The east main holds approximately 18,000 with the east balcony adding 10,000. The west main holds less than 13,000 on the first level plus 5,000 in the balcony. The south end zone "horseshoe" holds nearly 9,800 (12,000 before the removal of the aforementioned 2,200 seats), while the north bleachers add 5,000 more seats. A massive renovation project
1710-750: The School of Music, the Marching Illini represent virtually every college, discipline, and major on the university's diverse Urbana-Champaign campus. The band primarily performs before, during, and after University of Illinois home football games. The band also performs an indoor concert at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts featuring special lighting effects, performances by individual sections, and slightly pithy comic routines. The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music houses
1767-497: The University of Illinois Fighting Illini is Mike Poeta, who was a two-time NCAA finalist for Illinois. He replaced Jim Heffernan, who retired in 2021. State Farm Center is the current home arena for the wrestling team, seating approximately 15,500. Huff Hall served as home arena to the team since 1925. References: Men's basketball, Men's fencing, Men's hockey, Men's polo, Men's soccer, Men's water polo Illinois fencing won National Championships in 1956 and 1958. Fencing
Louise Freer Hall - Misplaced Pages Continue
1824-647: The University of Illinois Men's Rugby Football Club plays in Division 1-A in the Big Ten Universities conference. The Illini have experienced success in college rugby , including winning several Big 10 championships in the 1980s and reaching the national semifinals in 1980, 1983 and 1985. The Illini play their home matches in Urbana at the Complex Fields. The men's wheelchair basketball team
1881-518: The University of Illinois maintains its position that the Illini nickname does not refer to the first nation inhabitants of the same land. The term Illini referring to the university's athletic teams seems to come from secondhand accounts of the athletic teams. The earliest reference in the Illio yearbook appears to be one mention in the summary of the 1907 football season. The term was more widely used in
1938-544: The board of trustees but will not result in a new mascot at this time." After the student referendum, the University Senate voted 105–2 in an advisory vote to endorse the belted kingfisher as the new [in fact, the first] mascot. Memorial Stadium (Champaign) Former capacity : Memorial Stadium is a stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois , United States. The stadium, used primarily for football ,
1995-408: The buzzers at nearly every arena are in the same chord as the hold. For many years, the band started playing the song "from the top" toward the end of the warmup period in basketball. When conducted correctly, the "hold" is played just as the buzzer sounds. The Oskee Wow-Wow yell is a University of Illinois spirit yell originated in 1899. The yell was modified in 1912 and 1916. The university has
2052-559: The clothing and regalia for the symbol was from the Sioux nation. Chief Illiniwek would perform during halftime at Illinois football and basketball games, wearing a feathered headdress and buckskin clothes, and dancing while the marching band played "Three in One", an arrangement of three original songs. It was customary for Illinois fans and attendees to raise their arms at the end of the halftime proceedings and, in unison, yell "chief". In 2005,
2109-429: The earlier constructed Harvard Stadium . The project's general contractor was English Brothers of Champaign, who are in business to this day. The name was chosen in honor of the dead from World War I . The original construction was financed with donations from University students, alumni and others. At the time, the stadium consisted of double-decked stands on the east and west sidelines. The single-decked horseshoe around
2166-426: The east and west stands. A permanent, 5,000-seat structure was built on the north end of the stadium, and the existing scoreboard and video replay screen was moved to the south end zone. The south horseshoe was planned to be filled in down to field level, and would have completely connected the east and west stands. The horseshoe improvements, which were not implemented, would have increased seating to 14,000 seats behind
2223-413: The end of the 2013–14 season , Illinois ranks 11th all-time in winning percentage and 14th all-time in wins among all NCAA Division I men's college basketball programs. Fighting Illini women's basketball began play in 1974. The team won the 1997 Big Ten championship. They have made 8 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 2 Sweet Sixteen appearances in 1997 and 1998. The men's cross country team were
2280-506: The head coach since 2002. The Fighting Illini softball team began play in 2000. The team has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances in 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022. The current head coach is Tyra Perry . The Fighting Illini women's swimming and diving team began play in 1974. The team had individual NCAA champions in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. The Illinois men's tennis program
2337-621: The men's and women's boxing teams compete as part of the United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association . Illinois hosted the USIBA national championships in 2018, and the men's team won the 2018 and 2019 tournaments. The women's team won the 2022 tournament. The men's ice hockey team has played in the Division I Central States Collegiate Hockey League conference since 1979, which is part of
Louise Freer Hall - Misplaced Pages Continue
2394-555: The near future. Whitman stated, "Obviously, the East and South of Memorial Stadium is something that needs attention. In my perfect world, I always wanted to unveil a fully renovated Memorial Stadium in time for the 100th anniversary of its dedication in 2024. At this point, I don't know how likely that is. As we transition into Phase 2, it will be a function of talking through the priorities. Sometimes those priorities are driven in part by donor interest and donor appetite. It happens often where
2451-468: The program had qualified for the match play portion of the NCAA Men's Golf Championships in which the final eight teams compete in a bracket format. The Fighting Illini women's golf team began play in 1975. The team has made four NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002, 2003, 2011 and 2012. The men's gymnastics team have been invited to 44 NCAA tournaments and have won 10 team NCAA championships, which
2508-453: The site, but it was too congested to expand the stadium adequately, so a new site was selected, in a largely undeveloped area at the south end of the campus. George Huff and Robert Zuppke were responsible for pushing most of the fundraising for this project. Memorial Stadium was completed in 1923 at a cost of US$ 1.7 million, which, adjusted for inflation, is equal to $ 25.8 million in 2020. Its original U-shaped design borrows some form from
2565-420: The south end zone was later completed, along with a large student section near the north end zone. According to an archival "campus tours" website, heavy rain during the construction resulted in a bulldozer sinking into the field. It was decided the expense of removing the bulldozer would have been greater than leaving it buried under the field, and it remains there today. However, this has since been disputed as
2622-433: The south end zone. The capacity of the west stands will be significantly reduced in order to build a large press box and luxury suite area at the top of the balcony. The new boxes will be three levels tall and will extend the entire length of the field. The new capacity of the stadium after the renovation will be 62,143. This $ 100 million project will be largely paid for by sales of the stadium's new suites and luxury seating in
2679-408: The start of the 2013 Fighting Illini season , the athletic department replaced the main scoreboard with a new Daktronics video board that measures 36 by 96 feet (11 by 29 m). Additionally, the stadium's sound system was updated and two 420-foot-long (130 m) ribbon video boards were installed along the façade between the upper and lower decks of the stadium's sideline seating. To recognize
2736-479: The student body voted 4222 to 3597 for a preliminary proposal to adopt a new mascot, the belted kingfisher . The female belted kingfisher, which is "naturally true to the orange and blue," would be the first female mascot in the Big Ten—and Illinois' first mascot. The referendum was downplayed by the university administration, which stated that the "results will be shared with the university administration and
2793-585: The team has NCAA National Champions in 1921, 1927, 1944, 1946, and 1947. In addition, the team carries a total of 29 Big Ten Championships. The Fighting Illini women's track and field team began play in 1976. The indoor track and field team won five Big Ten Championships in 1989, 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996. The outdoor track and field team won the 1970 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national championship and six Big Ten Championships in 1988, 1989, 1992, 1995, 2005 and 2007. Women's volleyball started in 1974., Since moving into Huff Hall from
2850-556: The university football team played a homecoming game against the University of Michigan . On way to a 39–14 Illini victory, Red Grange scored five touchdowns in one of the greatest single-game performances in football history. The seating capacity of the stadium's permanent seating, including the north end zone bleachers, is 60,670. This number was reduced from 62,870 when it was announced on 12 April 2011 that 2,200 south end zone bleacher seats added in 1982 would be removed. The 62,870 number had been reduced from 69,249 as part of
2907-462: The weekly newspaper changed its name from The Student to The Illini. An editorial in the first edition of the renamed newspaper indicated that Illini was a new term. During the late 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, it was used to refer to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the university, as well as to the campus as a whole. Many NCAA and High School mascots bearing reference to first nation people have changed their names. However,
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#17327837655522964-403: The west stands. The field also got a new FieldTurf playing surface. Controversy has arisen over the decision to move the bulk of the student section to the north side of the stadium. Some student overflow seating is set aside on the north end of the east stands. The location may hamper the view of the student section when the ball is at the south end of the field. Critics of the plan suggest this
3021-464: Was dropped as a varsity sport in 1993. Men's swimming and diving was dropped as a varsity sport in 1993, but were Big Ten Champions in 1911, 1912 and 1913. Club sports include men's ice hockey , women's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, rowing , men's and women's rugby, tennis, men's volleyball , men's and women's soccer, men's and women's ultimate frisbee, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, and men's and women's boxing. Both
3078-486: Was first used in 1911. The Fighting Illini nickname was adopted by general consensus as an unofficial school nickname sometime between 1921 and 1930. It was then used in newspaper articles, football programs and other publications eventually becoming the official name. Illinois has won 18 overall men's and women's NCAA team national championships through the 2017 NCAA athletic season. Illinois ranks thirty-sixth all-time in total NCAA Division I national championships through
3135-468: Was founded in 1908, but has enjoyed most of its success in recent years. The Illini have been one of the most successful men's tennis programs in the nation over the past twenty seasons, winning nine consecutive Big Ten Championships from 1997 to 2005; six of seven Big Ten Tournament Championships between 1999 and 2005; appearing in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen fourteen times, including eight years in
3192-415: Was founded in 1948 by Timothy Nugent in response to a large number of disabled veterans using the G.I. Bill to attend the University of Illinois. Nugent later started a women's team in 1970. A total of 29 national championships are claimed between the men and women's teams. Founded in 2005, Illini Rowing is one of the youngest university rowing teams in the country. They practice on Clinton Lake and in
3249-426: Was unveiled for Memorial Stadium in the fall of 2005. The "Illinois Renaissance" project began after the completion of the 2006 football season, and was completed just days before the 2008 season began. The concourse areas on all four sides of the stadium were improved with better concession and restroom facilities. Additionally, the concourse areas were connected all the way around the stadium for easier passage between
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